Deserted Island Books

 

Laura Drake

Yes, we’re writers, but we’re readers first.  Part of the reason I wanted to write was to give others the transporting experience I’ve had, reading a wonderful book, and ‘waking up’ hours later, unaware of my surroundings.  Or consciously slowing down, toward the end of a book, just so I won’t be done.  Yes, I can reread it, but I’ll never again experience it for the first time.

So I started thinking . . . If I were stuck on a deserted island, all alone, what books would I want with me?

I don’t mean survivalist literature – I’m talking, ‘keep me sane while I’m waiting for the cavalry to show up’ books.   I chose an arbitrary limit of 10, then tried to decide.  The first couple were easy – they popped right into my head.

• Atlas Shrugged – Ayn Rand
• The Stand – Stephen King
• A Gift Upon the Shore – M.K. Wren   (if you’re a writer, you should read this dystopian novel-what would happen to the books if the world crumbled?)
• Malevil – Robert Merle     Okay, shoot me, I love end of the world scenarios.

But after that it got tougher.

• Timeline – Michael Crichton
• King’s Oak – Ann Rivers Siddons
• Any of the Outlander books by Diana Gabaldon
• Most anything by Barbara Samuels / Barbara O’Neal
• Violin – Ann Rice  Or The Feast of All Saints –  I can’t decide
• South of Broad – or anything by Pat Conroy.  Maybe if I were lucky, he’d have a new one out I hadn’t yet read….

See how I got flaky at the end?  Too many good books!!!

What are your Deserted Island Books?  I’d love to hear about them.